Counterdrive for dual propellers



Feb. 26, i946.. R C. CAVALLARQ 2,395,610

COUNTER DRIVE FOR DUAL PROPELLERS Filed April 5.0, 1945 2 SheeLS-Sheefl 1 Q l &1, Inventor '-By Y Attorney)` Feb 26, 1946- R. c. CAVALLARO f 2,395,510

COUNTER DRIVE FOR DUAL PROPELLERS Filed April 50, 1943 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Feb. 26, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE Ralph C. Cavallaro, Branford, Conn. Application April 30, 1943, Serial No. 485,250

1 Claim.

ordinate objects presently appearing, the preferred embodiment of my invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings set forth in detail in the succeeding description and clened in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a View partly in longitudinal section and partly in side elevation illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention, and

Figure 2 is a View in vertical transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Reference being had to the drawings by numerals, according to my invention, as illustrate-d, the drive, or power shaft I of the motor is extended out of a stepped down bearing sleeve 2 formed on the motor block 3, the sleeve compris'- ing an annular, transversely flat seat 4 contiguous to block 3. The usual propeller 5 is keyed, as at 6, on the outer end of said shaft I and secured thereon by the usual cap plate 1 threadedcnto said shaft and bolted, as at 8, to the hub of the propeller 5. In the rear of the rst propeller 5 is a second propeller 9 freely rotatable about the shaft I and operative through drive mechanism now to be described.

Surrounding the shaft I, between the second propeller 9 and the block 3, and rotatably concentrically about the shaft I is a gear housing I Il comprising a rear, dished, annular plate II and a front, hollow, dome-like, housing section I2 having an open rear side bolted to the rear plate II, as at I3, and a front opening I4 out of which the shaft I extends.

The housing I9 is rotatably mounted as follows. 'Ihe rear plate I I surrounds the sleeve 2 adjacent to seat 4, with a slight clearance and is provided onthe rear face thereof with an annular, lateral Iiange I5 surrounding said seat 4. The ange I 5 is fitted over a ball bearing unit I6 interposed between the same and the seat 4. A ball bearing unit II is countersunk in the inner face of the housing section I2 and tted around (Cl. V-135.5)

the shaftl I. The second propeller 9 is bolted, as.

at I 8, to the front face of the housing section I2.

A pair of annular driving and driven, Ibeveled gears I9, 29, ,respectively, are provide-d in the housing I9 in'laterally spaced, opposed relation, the driving gear I9 being keyed to the shaft I, as at 2I, and the driven gear 29 surrounding the sleeve 2 and being bolted, as at 22, to the plate I I.

A plurality of motion transmitting, beveled gear pinions 23, relatively smaller than the driving and driven gears I9, 29, are interposed between the latter and preferably arranged degrecs apart as shown in Figure 2. The gear pinions are mounted on the outer end of the bearing sleeve 2 by means of an annular cap plate 24 tting over said sleeve around shaft I, an annular keeper plate 25`surrounding the shaft I and opposed to the plate 24, bolts 26 extending through said plates into the sleeve 2, and radial flanged studs 2'I extending from the edge of the cap plate 24 and into axial sockets 28 in the inner faces of the gear pinions 23. The gear pinions 23 are provided on the outer faces thereof with stepped studs 29 each extended through a pair of inner and outer end thrust, roller bearing units 30, 3|, clamped between a pair of gear housing rings 32, 33, opposed side by side in surrounding relation to the gears I9, 29, and said pinions 23 and having the inner side faces thereof socketed as at 34 to accommodate said bearing units 30, 3|. The rings 32, 33, are suspended on the studs 29 Iby the bearing units 39, 3I and in the housing I9 as will be clear and are bolted together as at 35.

The operation of the described drive' will be in part clear from the description of parts. Suiiice it to explain, that as the shaft I rotates and correspondingly rotates the first .propeller 5, the driving gear I9 is rotated thereby and drives the driven gear 20 through the medium of the gear pinions 23 in a reverse direction relative to the direction of rotation of said gear I9 and at the same speed ratio, the driven gear 20 rotates the housing I9 and the latter the second propeller 9 reversely relative to the direction of the rotation of the rst propeller 5.

The foregoing'will, it is believed, sulce to impart a clear understanding of my invention withoutfurther explanation.

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modication Without departing'from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claim.v

What I claim is;

gear pinions for rotation about xed axis, said means comprising a stationary unit fixed to said engine and including studs extending part Way into said pinions on one side thereof, studs extending from the other sides of said pinions, end thrust bearings in which said last studs are mounted, and a pair of opposed rings surrounding said gears and pinions and clamping said end thrust bearings therebetween with the studs dislf) posed radially of said rings` RALPH' C. CAVALLARO. 

